Mohave County miner., 1887-09-10
HERMANN Bueltsbaurn.

tuout twenty !caTnt huriht WHICH time
ne has held great many Offices oi trust
and influence, Coming to Arizona as !
clerk in the Quartermaster's department
of the United States army, he served the |
government in that capacity at the old
Beal Springs military post, and at Fort
Mojaye, having previously served in the
same capacity ut old Camp Cady, across
the river. Soon after his arrival in. this
county be abandoned the service OF the
United States and went into the service
Of the people of Mohaye county. Being
all expert book-keeper, q rapid and accur.
ate renman, good accountant, man
OF much more than ordinary shrcwdness,
education and intelligence, these numcr.i
ous qualifications naturally made his SER
vices invaluable and In considerable
demand by county officials and others.
His handwriting appears on every record
book OF the county for nearly the last
twenty years, and with very few excep-
tions the county officials who have served
since the organization OF the county ap-
pear to have had implicit confidence in
his honesty and integrity. That this con-
fidence has been undeserved and mis-
placed there seems now TO bC but little
doubt. Although his many qualifications
made him eligible TO almost any county
Office in the gift OF the people, he never
seemed TO be popular, and has often ex-
pressed TO the writeg his belief that he
never could be elected to any position OF
responsibility aud trust in this county.
The reasons for that belief are nOw appar-
ent to everyone, and undoubtedly sprung
from the knowledge Of his own guilt,
which was shared TO certain extent by
others, who used it for their own benefit.
In the fall Of 1884 the Republican NOM
inee for Recorder withdrew from the con-
test at the last moment, and at q time too
late 10 allow OF new nomination by the
party. The result was the candidacy OF
two persons on an independent ticket, Of
whom the absconding Recorder was one
and the writer the other. This made q
triangular fight, the result Of which was
the election ot Mr.. Bucksbaum by few
! votes. For the two years previous to his
assuming the Office Of County Recorder
he had acted as Clerk OF the Board OF
Supervisors and for the latter part OF the
time kept the books Of Treasurer krider,
although We believe he was not allowed
access to the safe or appointed deputy
II was during this period that the forger.
les and defalcations discovered by the
Grand Jury occurred, and the fact that
| they were so numerous and extensive in
that time leads people to suppose that
they extended over q much longer period
and possibly over the whole time to which
he had access TO the books. Most OF bis
forgerfes saem to have been directed to
warrants issued by the Board TO Ban
croft & Co. in payment for supplies. AZ
these warrants were delivered 10 Mr.
Bucksbaum for transmission TO Bancroft
< Co., it is supposed that he remitted tine
cash instead and then raised the warrants
10 suit himself Having access TO the
books OF tho Supervisors and Treasurer
ii was easy for him TO alter the records tf
conform TO the amount OF the raised war
rants From the investigations oi the
Grand Jury it is apparent that the county
lost during the election campaign OF 1Ssi
over one thousand dollars through Saf
rants raised by Mr. Bucksbaum, and it il
peculiarly suspicious that all warrants
raised by him came into the possession 0
the Honorable John Howell, the Demo
cratic councilman from this county fo
the years 1885. The records OF thu
Treasurer chow that this gentlemen re
ceiyel the money on all the raised war
rants FOR the full amount OF the raise an;
interest.
Owing to the easly and enforced ad
journment Of the Court the investigation
Of the Grand Jury were cut short, and ii
TACT were nipped in the bud. to the grca
disgust OF several OF its members, wh'
had determined to sift these forgerics u
the very bottom, in order to ascertain th'
full amount OF which the county has beei
defrauded. II is earnestly hoped tha
the next Grand Jury will take up ant
continue the investigation both befor
and after the period looked into by tn
present Grand Jury.
While Mr.. Bucksbaum's forgeries vii
no doubt be great surprise to many G
the people in this county, still the fac
has leaked out that several parties hav
been aware OF it for more than two year
and half, and We much regret that som
OF these parties were not indicted a
accessories after the fact. Their promp
action at the time these things came {:
their knowledge would doubtless hav
saved the county a good deal of money.
However, returning to our subject, o.
Thursday evening last Mr.. Bucksbaur
was examined by the Grand Jury, and a
to what took place OF course we kno'
nothing. We do know that on Frida
morning Mr.. Bucksbaum's chair as Cler
Of the District Court was vacant, and tn
7 Recorders office locked up. 4 faw mir